A central office (CO) is a telephone company building where subscribers' lines are joined to switching equipment for connecting other subscribers to each other, locally and long distance. A CO generally includes telecommunication equipment such as switches, transformers, fibers, and cables, and the like, and other equipment such as cable distribution frames, batteries, air conditioning, heating systems, and the like. The equipment of a CO is generally referred to as network element equipment or network elements. Monitoring personnel monitor the network elements of a CO to ensure everything is working properly. In the event network elements have problems, central office technicians (COTs) work on the network elements to fix the problems.
In the past, COTs working within the CO monitored the network elements. The network elements were each configured with an alerting device. The alerting devices alerted the COTs if the network elements failed or malfunctioned. The alerting devices employed audio and visual means to alert the COTs within the CO that there was a problem. For instance, bells or red flashing lights alerted COTs of network element equipment problems. Upon being alerted, the COTs further investigated the network elements to locate the problem area and determine the particular problem.
As newer network elements were installed in the COs, the monitoring and alarming functionality was integrated into communication interfaces on the network elements. The communication interface allowed the monitoring and alarming functionality to be remote to other locations within the CO. The newer monitoring and alarming functionality replaced the previous simple on/off audio and visual alarms to provide status of the network elements before the network elements actually failed. Connectivity to the monitoring equipment allowed analysis of monitoring and alarm conditions to monitoring personnel. This allowed COTs to perform other tasks within the CO while waiting for network elements to malfunction. Gradually, the presence of on/off audio and visual alarms within the CO was retired. Meanwhile, further computer applications were implemented to increase the capability of monitoring and alarming systems to the point where remote operation of the network elements within the CO without local human intervention was possible. A monitoring center remote from the CO housed the monitoring and alarming systems. Monitoring personnel within the monitoring center monitored the status of the network elements.
Because there were no communication standards regarding the transport of monitoring and alarm data conditions between the remote monitoring center and the network elements, a number of different communication protocols were used to transport the data conditions. Asynchronous as well as synchronous data communication protocols were used. The remote monitoring center was responsible for providing the appropriate communication interfaces as well as support the specific communication protocols to receive monitoring and alarm data messages from the network elements. COTs reviewed the messages and took appropriate action to correct network element equipment malfunctions.
Current technology using Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) provides network connectivity between the monitoring center and the administrative area of the CO. While the remote monitoring centers work well, the problem of notifying a COT of a problem that can not be resolved remotely is an issue.
The current methodology is for monitoring personnel within the monitoring center to issue an electronic trouble ticket for the network elements in an alarm state. The monitoring personnel issue electronic trouble tickets using a trouble ticket host. The trouble ticket host uses standard communication technology to electrically transmit trouble tickets and work orders to an administrative area of the CO. In the administrative area, the trouble tickets are printed on four part paper. One copy is given to a COT to resolve the problem. The COT then walks over to the area of the CO containing the network element equipment and works on the troubled equipment to correct the problem. After the COT has cleared the trouble, the COT leaves the area of the CO housing the network element equipment and returns to the administrative area. The COT then inputs the trouble ticket data and the reason for the outage into a computer for electronic transmission back to the trouble ticket host.
The trouble ticket host then notifies the monitoring center personnel that the problem network element equipment has been fixed. The network element equipment may also automatically notify the monitoring center via an electronic message that the problem has been fixed and that the status has returned to normal operating condition.
Periodically, the printed trouble tickets are picked up and distributed to the appropriate COT for action. This practice is time consuming and may result in significant delay in notifying the COT that there is a network element equipment problem and in getting resources to resolve the problem. After the COT clears the problem the COT notifies the administrative area that the problem and the trouble ticket has been cleared. There may be significant time lapse between the time the trouble was actually cleared and the time the COT inputs the cleared trouble ticket status. This practice results in delays in delivery of trouble tickets to the CO, delays in reaching the COT, and delays in reporting the resolution of the clearing of the trouble. In some cases, these times must be reported to determine an efficiency report card on CO operations.
Normal means of communication and notification are unusually difficult in a CO. The responsibility of a COT requires serving a variety of network element equipment in the CO. Normally, the CO physical plant is a multi-story building. Generally, the larger the CO, the more stories it contains. Further, COs are constructed of high strength materials and are heavily reinforced. The use of electronic pagers is not reliable because of the high density of network element equipment and the electromagnetic interference around the equipment. Cell telephony can not be used as the frequency range of the cell phone interferes with network element equipment.
What is needed is a method and system for communicating information between a COT stationed within the CO and network element monitoring personnel stationed remote from the CO or a network monitoring center stationed remote from the CO.